Plain Talk & Common Sense

Uncommon Senses, a kind of sequel to Speaking Directly, might be called Jost's second feature-length State of the Union essay, made 15 years later. Like its predecessor, it is composed of several different and relatively autonomous sections, each of which has its own form and mode of address. While both films can be described as didactic, the first is overtly autobiographical, the second more a multifaceted statement about America. (www.jonathanrosenbaum.com)